Fluid-pressure starter for gasoline drills



Jan. 17; 1928.

J. V. RICE, JR

FLUID PRESSURE STARTER FOR GASOLINE DRILLS original Filed A119128, 1920 //VTOH l J l1 ATTORNEYS Jan. 17, 1928. 1,656,567

J. V. RICE, JR

FLUID PRESSURE STARTE FOR GAsoLINE DRILLs originalFiled Aug. 28, 1920 2 sheets-sheet 2 Amm/vn Patented Jan. 17, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIcE.

JOHN V. RICE, JR., OF BORDENTOWN, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO FRED E. TASKER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FLUID-PRESSURE `STARTEIIB. FOR GASOLINE DRILLS.

Application led August 28, 1920, Serial No. 406,725. Renewed May 24, 1927.

rlhis invention relates to a fluid pressure starting mechanism for a rock drill, more particularly a gasoline rock drill, or one that is actuated by the explosions of an explosive mixture in an internal combustion engine; and said mechanism is pneumatically operated to obtain the best and quickest results in the easiest way. The object of the invention is to provide a simple auxiliary means as an aid in the starting and handling of explosion drills. The

invention therefore consists essentially in Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view on the line 4, 4, of Figure 1.

Similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout all the iigures of the drawing.

`While it will at once be manifest that the present invention in various forms isy applicable to various designs and kinds of drills, yet it is particularly adapted and intended for use with the gasoline rock drill described and claimed in my former United States Letters Patent, dated August 6, 1907, No. 862,847, and my other similar drilling appliances, wherein the motive power is derived from the explosion of a gaseous mixture. lt will be unnecessary to recapitulate or r illustrate the entire mechanism of the aforesaid patented drill of mine, in order to explain the present invention, for it will suf- .tice to point out a few of the leading mechanical and operative' elements shown in the views, 1 being the cylinder or main frame, 2 the feed screw, 4 one of the end portions of the free trunk piston, which has a duplii cate (not` shown) at the other end of the frame, 3 the iinteriorl connecting rod between 7 the trunk sections 'of the piston, 5 the power unnecessary to describe them at this time, as 4 they form `no part of the present invention, and may be varied within wide limits.

Proceeding now to describe the construction and operation of my novel airstart ing mechanism, it will be seen that the end of the cylinder 1, shownin Figure 1, that contains piston section 4, is provided with a head 10, screwed to the cylinder 1 orother wise strongly secured thereto, there being a chamber 14 between the inner surface of the head 10 and the adjacent end of piston 4, which chamber is of vvariable size as the piston travels back and forth, and is adapted to receive air which is drawn thereinto by the action of piston 4. There is a central passage 45 running through the head 10, and at the end of this passage nearest the cham ber 14 is arranged a valve 15 which functions in connection with an inclined seat 16, and whose stem 17 operates in a bearing 47, there` being a spring 48 surrounding said bearing and tensioned between a shoulder on the same and a projection or collar 49 on the" stem `17 so as to actas a closing spring for the valve 16. Said valve 16 therefore opens under the suction of thepiston 4 and closes when the suction is relieved, and the spring 48 is allowed to pull the valve 16 shut. y

Secured to the cylinder head 10 by means of screws 19, or other suitable means, is ak supplemental head 11 consisting of a hollow casting having a central opening 46 that y coincides with the passage 45 in the head 10. The wall of chamber 18 `within the casting 11 is pierced by a series of holes 48u/Ilich admit atmospheric air into said chamber.` Further the chamber 18 is provided with a dome-shaped or convex cover 12, between which and chamber 18 is secured a Hexible diaphragm of metal or other material 13 so ani or piu e0 that work-S three-gna skeleton y as to form a second chamber 50 outside of H Y centreof Athe diaphragm 13 so as to rei'iiin the diaphragm i to noriiji al l position7 or to assist itin sol doing, zitter the air `prefssiire 1n chamber isV reduced. The eifegft of the lcontant of the yend of rpiiiQO path the valve `stem 17 ivill be to open, and so long as" the `Contant is; maintained under a yeont'ant preseure, lio' hold opeiithd iili'e`15, So "that air may'` pass with a Steiidy ilo'iv iroin the outeratinospliere through holes L13 into the interior (if thedrili eyliniiler Il, from which interior of the cylinder the ail* will piiSs to the torage tank 29 ivhen the valve closed as Ishall explain.

The Cylinder head 10 furtherprovided with another passage L12 leading to and 'lronl the chamber 1,11 Within iylinder l? iiifcon! nection with Whih passage 12"arraiiigei`l` a cheek valve 26 `that is closed by :i springr carried by a pin 4which iol-ins part oi' a' screw plug 2S that iS inserted thiioughthe` side wall OiB the head Casting 1l). This: viili'e 26 Aopens on `the outstirokelof the piston L io force air pressure ,out ot the chamber 191 by way ol passage 42, and the valve closes' under p the artion oil: prinfi 27 to preveiit the retiiifn l i the nend of the valve stein 41 when the handle iS lifted aiidi'hiis' foies tlie siem inivaiillfi' of Such presiii'e When the openingr prenhii'e ceases to act upon it. The valve easing 51 Whili is `.ii'oriiied on the viali of head1() as v il i i 1 i shown .in ljigure 1, is only7 a continuation el: passage 442, and is provided with ay brani-.h

pipeflil-a lo ivhieh iseoiiiieetd i Short tube 23 running` to and thrhiigh the `sideol' the cover l2 and into the chamber onv the1 out-"2 side the diiiphiiigin 13. The pipe 24k preferably; a Tiinion, or other `siiiiiahljir shaped pipe menib'e'r, which eonneivrts `vvit-h a pipe or passage 25 leading toa. main pipe ne 30 which riiii's` to' a stbrage taiik29`; is they are Small and the action oi the spring:

F igure Q. i p i This main line Continues as pipe 32 alo'iilji` sideof the ijaii'ie oft-lie drill :intl Supplies air from the tank or Storage iinder pie'siiie at each end oi' thepiston in the engine eviinder `so that through Yvalve devieeS `to he. presentlir explained theair or fliiid-prensiire may be introduced into either` of Ithe eliain`- bers` 73 so as to `Start the piston one i" i reetion or the olhei; as niaify be and when?.

` wav,V in" may' have. been" otherwise derived."

into a storage trani; Then this pressure in fresh iiir enter the roluine of the storage supply. The storagesiippllv thin-i iliade use oi Whenevei: desirei'l to shirt the engine aiidfset" the `di'iil iii oi'eratioii. The tank 2l) aiid the main line of piping El() iii'id 51 lire full oifiaiiat high pressure ready for instant iiSe. Saidline iS provided ivith a Coeli 3h which serves to eiit out the tarting iiieeh` aiiisiii proper when theiiink is;` being regiif liirlj;Y eliargeil, oi otherwise to control lhe liandliiigof'the fluid I'irisiiii'e`2 when the starting valves are inactive oi any rehii.

The pipe "n is provided with a pair of shi'iijtflirai'iehes 1() that` are Screwed into the ivall o drill frame or cylinder 1, and eac-lli o1 theiiii'" ironileets byv a AShort inner `tiilie 39) with a valve ehiiiiihei' wherein iS a viilve 235 that aihhit into one of the ifliii'iibere' T in the `cylinder 1 and alongside the pistdii l-. Each viilve 235 has` a` Stein l1 that runs through ii eloised (fading having cap i753? and i'irojeei' iiiitSide of said cap fifi. Inside of rising 52 th'esteni 11 isipriiviijleil with a spring?r 8S iensiioiied between the end of the raising? and ii eo'llar 0r .hilf on the Stem iiiiil serving' aS iteloihgSpring for the valve 35. i

The cap 33 has aprojeetion 3T in which" is pivoted avalvie-operating.i handle :il loi'iiied With a lng oriihse 2:36 which heaiii against `and unseatn the valve, cbini'irehsiiiif Siu-ingr` 3S ii'i so doing; Vi'henihe handlh ilis illlowed tddiiip aiiiiih the siiriiiir 238 quickly reezits the valver The opeiiingr` of the i'iilve in diie iiisinner permite iiii" pressiire ioeeeape 'froth' the pipii Syeteiii alreaily"i'leseiilied aiid pasfs'iiiito the eylindeixl, thus entering' info one of thechaiiibeis` T thereof, where 'it will aet (in the pis'toii 4: aiid Stai'ttlie saine. Either of the handleS` 351 very easily operated hy. simply littingfivith the linger7 ivill preferably he light and Siiiiple.

Short `additional stateliieiil will rover anything that iiiiiv be desirable to i'iiiiiiilete an iindeiiitzlindiiigr of the operation. Let ilel assiiiiieth'at thdtaiik Q5) roiilaiiir the heifer The iipeiation of the piston like the :intimi of a pump plunger, and the air is pumped into the tank in proportion as it is needed. theinlet valve being kept open as` I yhave xiii nfue

explained when the tank is full. TheOperator by an easy manipulation ot the levers 34 is able to inject segments ot tluidpressiu'e behind one or the other et the trunk sections of the piston, which pressure -will `impart the power needed to start the movement` ot the piston and its connected drilling implement in one direction or the other, at any time, whenever the drill has been stopped for any reason, or has been allowed to run irregularly. In this way itwill be .tound that by the simple appliances described i provide starting impulses in the most economical and practical and certain way, with all theweonditions ot success and satisfactory results., and thereby contribute substantially to the acceptable use of a Igasoline rock drill mechanism, or any other similar organiza tion ot' moving parts wherein the poweris derived from a reciprocating` member, as a piston, actuated by explosions, which member it is necessary to start trom time to time, or to reverse.

I have explained my invention as particularly adapted for certain uses, but I do not wish to be restricted thereto. I reserve the liberty of applying it tor use wherever it is found serviceable. Also I claim the right to modify the details thereof, and change, reconstruct and rearrange the relations ot the parts, within wide limits, so as to secure the best results, provided this is done within the scope ot' the appended claims. p

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let` ters-Patent is:

l. In a fluid pressurestarter for gasoline rock drills and the like motors, having` a tree piston, which acts as a pump plunger, the combination with the piston, ot a cylinder, a head on the latter having a central passage, axially in line with the central axis ot the cylinder, a suction valve in said passage opening into the cylinder ior admitting air to the cylinder, a bearing in the passage supporting the valve stem together with a springY for closing the valve, a storage tank, means for carrying air pressure 'from the cylinder to the tank including a passage running through the head and having` a check valve, an auxiliary hollow chamber removably carried on said head, a flexible diaphragm dividing said chamber into two compartments, one ot which nearest the head and communieat-ing with the passage therein, has lateral openings to receive air from the atmosphere, and ther other of which communicates with the means for carrying air to the storage tank; means consisting of a spring-provided pin on the diaphragm adapted to loosely contact with the valve stem to hold the valve open when the storage pressure is of a pre determined degree, and a guide device on the wall et the chamber through which the pin slides in contacting with the valve stem.

2. In a fluidpressure starter for gasoline rock drills and like percussion machinery, having a :tree piston, a memberot which acts as a pump plunger, the combinatioirwith the pistenand the cylinder, ot' a pipe line tor conveying vair pressure tor use in:` starting, pressure chambers adjacent to the piston at points in the. pipe line, a valve in each of said chambers tor allowing air to pass theretrom to act against the piston, said valves: having projecting stems, pivoted handles having lugs engaging the ends et said valve stems, a cylinder head having a central passage, axially in line with the central axis of the cylinder, a suction valve in said passage opening into the cylinder for admitting air to the cylinder, a bearing in the passage supporting the valve stem together with a spring tor closing the valve, a storage tanlcymeans tor carrying air pressure from the cylinder to the tank including a passage running through the head and having a check valve,

an auxiliary hollow chamber removably carried on said head, a flexible diaphragmA dividing said chamber into two compartments, one ot which nearest the head and communiw eating with the passage therein, has lateral openings to receive air from the atmosphere and the other et which communicates with the means tor carrying air to the storage tank, means consisting of a springprovidcd pin on the diaphragm adapted to loosely contact with Athe valve stem to hold the valve open when the storage pressure is ot' a predetermined degree, and a guide device on the wall ot the chamber through which the pin slides in contacting with the valve stem.

3. In a fluid-pressure starter for gasoline rock drills and like percussion machines having a tree piston, a member oit which acts as a pump plunger, the combination with the loo piston and the cylinder ot a pipe linev for conveying the air pressure for use, chambers adjacent to the piston at each end of the drill receiving said pressure, a valve in each chamber for allowing air 'to pass therefrom to act against the piston,`said valve having a stem, a casing forming a bearing for said stem, a spring within said casing to close the valve, and an external operating handle pivoted on the casing and having a lug` engaging loosely the projecting end ot the valve stem to open the valve, a cylinder head having a central passage, axially in line with the central axis ot the cylinder, a suction valve in said passage opening into the cylinder tor admitting air lto the cylinder, a bcaring the passage supporting the valve stom together witha spring `for closing the valve, a storage tank, means-tor rarrying` air pressure from the cylinder to the tank including a passage running through the head and having a check valve, an auxiliary hollow chamber removably carried on said head, a flexible diaphragm dividing said chamber "1 ,fesemev "valve stem 4to :hold lthe velvelopen whenhe Stora-ge pressure :is iof a predetermined degree, `eend e guide devieeon the wal-1 of the chamber Lthrough which who Apin .slides in contacting with the valve stern.

In testimony whereof I hereunto ufx my signature. JOHN 'V. RICE, Jn. 

